Page 64 of The Trip of a Lifetime

‘That’s actually a good price,’ Martha said and went to reach for the money belt. Erin watched as she remembered too late that it was round Erin’s waist. ‘Go ahead.’

Martha stepped back and Erin wondered if she was really happy about giving up her control. She guessed she probably wasn’t. Erin handed over the cash and by seven they were on their way.

At eight-thirty they arrived at the Niagara Falls bus terminal and they lumbered off with their bags, Erin still eating a banana she’d taken from the breakfast buffet. The wait for the WEGO bus was only eight minutes and for the first time, Erin thought about the checkpoint.

‘I’d cheerfully forfeit first place on the next two legs for first place on the final one,’ she said, and Martha agreed.

‘That’s the only time it will really count, but if we’re lucky and have a good lead on the others, then it will keep us in with a chance. We need to keep our eye on the money, though. The last thing we want to do is to run out.’

Quietly, Erin thought that either Harrison and Sam or Femi and Liz were the strongest contenders. They’d probably be quicker if it ended up in a running race at the end. Over the last few weeks, Erin felt her fitness levels increasing with all the effort she’d put in, but she really didn’t think Martha or even herself for that matter would win in a sprint for the finish line.

The shuttle bus to the falls was perfectly on time and as they got aboard, the tracker peeped in Erin’s bag.

Make your way to the Table Rock Welcome Centre

‘Right,’ Martha said. ‘Come on, let’s do this. If you see anyone else, get ready to run.’

The bus dropped them almost outside for once. It wouldn’t be much of a race even if there were any other contestants about, but there was no one. No one in the race, that was, because there were masses of other tourists. Erin and Martha fought their way through the throng outside the centre and then the tracker beeped again.

Go up the steps to the Horseshoe Landing Patio

This actually involved walking through the building and back outside to where they were both momentarily distracted by the magnificent waterfall right in front of them. And it wasn’t the only one.

‘Did you know there was more than one waterfall?’ Erin asked her grandmother.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I did, but for now let’s get signed in.’

The steps were to their left and the two women held hands as they walked to the top with Noah hot on their heels. Cally had arrived and she hung back. Erin looked at her expression. Was she smiling because they were first? It was hard to tell. Both Cally and Noah would know, of course. All of this was for show.

There on a table was the book and Erin reached out a tentative hand to open it.

‘We so deserve to be first on this leg,’ she said. ‘After all the overnight travel on uncomfortable buses, I will be gutted if we’re last.’

She turned to the first page and it was blank.

‘Oh my God!’ Erin shrieked. ‘Nana, we’re first.’

Erin grabbed Martha in a hug and ignored her grandmother’s flinch at Erin’s choice of name. They held on to each other for a moment and then pulled apart. Martha had tears in her eyes and Erin knew, of course, she’d be thinking about Clare. Erin held her breath and prayed her nana wouldn’t say anything. Erin wanted them to have this moment for themselves, just the two of them. They alone had earned it. For the first time in the race, she started to wonder, to dare, they might win.

‘We need to save this joy for the last leg,’ Martha said. ‘We still have two more to go, you know.’

‘Yeah, but just for now, I’m going to indulge myself and be delighted,’ Erin said. ‘Can we go and look at the waterfalls?’

They walked back down the steps and over to the railings that separated them from the gallons of water that were gushing below them. Noah followed with his camera and Cally appeared beside him.

‘You might like to say something poignant here,’ Cally said. ‘Let the viewers know what it means to come first for the first time in this race so far.’

Erin tensed up at the thought. It was weird, all this acting. It just didn’t come naturally to her and she looked to Martha for inspiration. Martha’s eyes were misty again and Erin knew she had to take charge before her nana did.

‘This is so beautiful,’ she said as she looked down towards the water and then back up to the camera. She slid her arm around Martha’s shoulders and pulled her close. ‘It means so much to come first. We raced hard to get to this checkpoint and I think we have earned that place. It was Martha who encouraged me to join her on this race. I’m well known for not being as adventurous as others in my life but maybe now, I might be seen as a little more daring, a little more worthy. Really, I just hope I’m enough.’

Erin smiled into the camera but she could feel her grandmother’s gaze on the side of her face.

29

MARTHA

We were first but it was only an hour before the men turned up. Erin and I slunk off as I wasn’t sure how to be around Harrison. I knew that Cally would pick up on the fact I wasn’t as cutting as usual in my remarks about him. How could I be now? To just be near him made me feel delightfully uncomfortable. I felt exactly as I had when I first met him. Yes, I was older and wiser in most ways, but whatever that chemical was that made you love-struck and swoony didn’t seem to care. We got a lift to the Niagara Falls hotel.